Automatic valve



Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

PATENT, OFFICE.

EDWARD G. KELLEY v.AND CHARLES ZIRKLE, OI' GREENVIIILLE, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC vALvE.

Application med June so, 192'5. serial No. 40,583.

To all whom z't may concer/n.: Be it known that we, EDWARD G. KELLEY andCHARLES ZrRKLE, citizens of the United States, residing at Greenville,in the countyL of Darke and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements 1n AutomaticV Valves, of which the following is aspecification. Y

This invention relates to valves and pertains particularly to anautomatic air valve for use in connection with seat actiontoilets makinguse of a compression tank.

The primary object of this invention is the kprovision, in a manner ashereinafter set flowing water and thus held in the compressed conditionuntil the tank is again empty. The -air thus compressed in the tank willassist in the ready and complete evacuation of the same upon theflushing of the toilet.

.A further object ofy the invention is the provision, ina manner lashereinafter set forth, of an automatic air valve for thetuse above setforth, in which, in the event that through some defect the valve ceasesto operate, the valve will become closed so that no air can enter thecompression tank thus causing the imperfect action of the tank anddrawing attention to the fact that the valve is not operating properly.

A further and final object of the invention is the provision, in amanner as hereinafter set forth, of an autom-atie air valve for thepurpose above set forth, which will be of simple construction, strongand durable, and efficient for the purpose for which constructed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, with the understandingthat the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with theshowing of the drawing but may be changed and modified appended claims.

In ,the drawing: Figure 1 shows the device embodying this invention, inside elevation. p

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View through the device. Figure 3is a top plan view of the same.

VFigure 4 is a p an view of the oat and check element forming a part ofthe interior .construction of the valve.

i Figure 5 is asection taken upon the line 5--5 of Figure2.

Figure 6 is a side elev-ation of the check valve used in the main valvestructure and, Figure 7 is the bottom plan view of the check shown inFigure 6.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, thedevice embodying this invention comprises a head 1, the lower portion ofwhich head is constrieted as indicated at 2 and terminates in thereduced annular portion 3. The upper or larger portion of the head 1 ishollowed to provide the longitudinally extending chamber 4, the upperportion of which chamber has the wall thereof threaded as indicated at5. The lower portion of the head has a central longitudinally threadedas indicated at 11, and engaged` over the other end of this nipple 10 isa reducing coupling 12 into the reduced end 13 of which a second nipple14 of less diameter than the nipple 10, is threaded. This nipple 14 alsohas each .end threaded as indicated at 15, and the other free end ofthis nipple is adapted to be connected to and lead into a compressiontank (not shown).

Threaded into the passage 8 and engaging threads 9 formed in the wallthereof 1s a relatively long tube 16, the lower end of which is reducedas at 17 and headed as shown, to receive thereover the open end of arubber check 18. `This check has an annu lar groove 19 formed thereaboutin which a securing wire 2O is adapted to be placed, which ends of thewire are twisted to hold 'gagement with the headed reduced end of thetube 16. The check 18 has formed upon and across the other end thethickened rid e 21 and there is formed in this ridge the s it 22 whichopens into theinterior of the check as clearly shown' in Figure `2. Aswill be explained further on this check allows air to pass from the tube16 into the nipples 10 and 14 and the coupling 12 and prevent anyairfrom flowing' back from these elements into the tube.

The upper open end of the chamber 4 1s closed by a plug indicatedgenerally by the numeral 23. This plug comprises an enlargedperipherally threaded annular portion 24 and a polygonal shapedextension`25. Extending longitudinally -through the extension 25 of theplug is a bore 26'the lower end-of which opens into the annular recess27 which is of greater diameter than the bore as is shown in Figure 2and this annular recess in turn opens into the arcuately recessed lowerside `of the enlargedportion 24 of the plug as indicated at 28. 1

Extending longitudinally through the plug 23 and through the chamber 4of the head 1, is a rod member 29 threaded throughout as shown.- Atapproximately the central portion ofA this rod there is positioned afloat 30, through the central portion of which the rod passes and uponthe lower side of this loat is a retaining plate 31 held in position andin turn holding the lloat in position ipon the `rod by means ofthenut32.-

Upon the top of the float 30 is a semispherical rubber seat washer 33,the flat surface of which bears against thejtop of the float 30 whilethe curved portion is adapted to seat against the edge formed in theplug between the recesses 27 and 28, under certain conditions. Thethreaded rod 29 passes through this washer as is shown. p p

Threaded upon the rod 29 is a securing nut 34 which bears against thetop of the washer 33 and over this nut is a cup washer 35 held inposition by the nut 36. This cup washer under certain conditions, whenthe washer 33 seatsv upon its seat, moves into and closes theannularrecess 27. Upon the upper end of the threaded ro 29 which extendsbeyond the top of the plug portion 25 is a pair of stop nuts 37 whichprevent the rod 29 and elements carried thereon from moving downwardlyfurther than is desired.

The top surface of the polygonal'extenf sion 25` of the plug istransversely slotted as indicated at 38 thus when the ynuts 37 areresting upon the top of the portion 25 they will not close the apertureor passage 26 against the passage of air therethrough as the air willenter the passage 26 through the slit 38.

This valve structure just described is adapted to be lattached to acompression tank of a seat action toilet, andwhen vthe toilet l isflushed lthevacuum created in the tank through the water leaving thedischarge port thereof will cause air to be drawn in through the passage26 past theopen valves 33 and 34 and through the chamber 4 and `tube 16,through the check 18 and into the tank; When the tank has becomecompletely empty of water, it will then be illed with air and due to theclosing of the slit 22 in the check 18 this air in the tank will betrapped and cannot leave the same. When the water begins to flow intothe tank to refill the same it will compress the air trapped therein asit rises and thus when the tank is again flushed this compressed airwill act to yforcefully eject thewater from the tank intothe toilet bowlthus causing a complete and better 4flushing of the bowl than would beobtained if the water flowed from the tank through gravity only.

Under all normal conditions the float 30 will be down and thevalves 33and 34 will be unseated. In the event that the check 18 fails, throughthe rotting of the rubber or from anyother cause which would allow thewater from the tank to ilow back up through the tube 16 into the chamber4 instead of being stopped by the check the float would be raised by)the water `raising the valves 33 and 34 to closethe passage through'the cap23 thus preventing the water from escaping through the valve.The cup valve 34 will be forced into the recess 27 when this happens andwill frictionally engage the wall thereof, and when the tank is flushedand vwater leaves the same l the frictional contact of this cup valve 34will prevent the ,float and valve from dropping thusl preventing the airfrom being drawn into the tank as the water leaves the same. This will.cause a faulty operation of the tank and will in dicate that the valveis not working properly so that an immediate repair can be made to thevalve to restore the nor mal working condition of the same.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is 1. A valve of thecharacter described comj of the failure of said check.

2. A valve of the character described comprising, a head having achamber formed longitudinally therein, a centrally apertured plugclosing the open end of said chamber, means for setting up a tubularconnection between said chamber and a toilet compression flush tank,means in said tubular connection allowing air to llow only throughsaidhead into said tank, and automatically operating means for closingthe aperture in said plug in the event of the failure of said means inthe tubular connection.

3. A valve of the character described com-` said head into said tank,and a float element within said chamber acting to bring about theclosure of the aperture in said plug in the eventgof the failure of saidcheck.

4. A valve of the character described, comprising, a head having achamber formed longitudinally therein, a centrally apertured plugclosing the open end of said chamber, means for setting up a tubularvconnection between said chamber and'a toiletcompression flush tank, aone Way check in said tubular connection allowin airto low only throughsaid head into said tank, a shiftable rod extending longitudinallythrough said chamber, and through the aperture of said. plug, afloatcarried upon said rod adapted to be shifted by water backing into saidcham ber from said tank, in the event of the failure of said check, andmeans carried by said rod operating to close the said aperture When saidoat is raised.

5. A valve ofthe character described, comprising, a 'head having achamber formed longitudinally therein, a centrally apertured plugclosing the open end of said chamber, means for setting up a tubularconnection between'said chamber and a toilet compression flush tank, aone way check in said tubular connection allowing air to How onlythrough said head into said tank, a shiftable. rod extendinglongitudinally through said chamber and through the aperture of saidplug, a float carrled upon said rod adapted to be shifted byWater'backing into said chamber from said tank, in the event ofthefailure of s aid check, means carried by said rod operating to close thesaid aperture when said float is raised, and means en- 1 gaging the wallof said aperture, upon the closing of the same by said last mentionedmeans, whereby the aperture willbe maintained closed independent of theoperation of said float. Intestimony whereof, we affix our signatureshereto. a

EDWARD G. KELLEY.

I CHARLES ZIRKLE.

